When a smartphone, which is an operation terminal connectable to the Internet, receives input for change in hot-water set temperature of a hot water supply device having a hot-water supply function, and the hot-water set temperature after the change instructed by the input for change is within a predetermined high-temperature region, then a request for input of a password is generated for the smartphone. When a password input to the smartphone matches with a predetermined registered password, an instruction for change in hot-water set temperature generated in accordance with the input for change is input to the hot water supply device via a communication adapter.

A controlled device includes a first communicator; a second communicator; a first determiner and a first controller. The first determiner determines whether an instruction of cancelling remote control by a first remote control device is detected based on whether a predetermined signal is received from the first remote control device or whether a predetermined operation is detected by an operation detector which detects a user operation, the first remote control device being communicably connected to the controlled device via the first communicator. The first controller performs control to disconnect communication with the first remote control device via the first communicator and start communication with a second remote control device via the second communicator, in response to determination by the first determiner that the instruction of cancelling the remote control by the first remote control device is detected.

A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a headless thermostat device and an adapter unit. The headless thermostat device includes one or more circuits configured to receive a control input from a user device via a local wireless network and generate a control signal for HVAC equipment based on the control input. The adapter unit includes one or more circuit configured to receive the control signal from the headless thermostat device via the local wireless network and provide the control signal to the HVAC equipment for operation of the HVAC equipment in accordance with the control input.

Systems and methods for temporarily associating user accounts with voice-enabled devices are disclosed. A voice-enabled device, which may be associated with a default account, may be situated in an environment, such as a hotel room. A user may desire to utilize the voice-enabled device to perform one or more actions. In examples, some or all of the actions may require the use of a system resource not available to the default account. In these examples, the user may provide contact information to be used to send a message to personal device of the user to acquire user account information. Upon receipt of such information, the user account may be temporarily associated with the voice-enabled device, and may be dissociated from the voice-enabled device upon the lapse of a period of time and/or occurrence of a dissociation event.

A distributed sensor network that utilizes the cabling infrastructure installed for a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to collect environmental data about a building. In this sensor network, an array of sensors are placed in line with the DAS communication cabling so that additional cabling is not required. The sensors use out of band frequencies or low level signaling so as to not interfere with the DAS signals to communicate the sensor data to the DAS head-unit.

A self laundry system that enhances the convenience of a user is provided. When an operation command output control starts, in step S1, a server 30 associates a user terminal 51 and a laundry apparatus 20. In step S2, an identification signal is sent to the user terminal 51. After completing the charging in step S8, in step S9, the server 30 determines whether a lock the cover button 76 is touched. In step S11, the server 30 determines whether a window to be opaque button 77 is touched. Then, in step S13, the server 30 outputs an operation start command to the laundry apparatus 20, and ends an operation start command control. The laundry apparatus 20, to which the operation start command is inputted, starts operation in an operation mode selected by the user.

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for unlocking and locking enclosures or lockers of a customer service center, for example, responsive to a real-time customer-agent interaction. One disclosed method includes using a remote server to determine a solution to a user request, where the solution includes an identification of a selected locker of a plurality of lockers located at the customer service center, and using the remote server to communicate the selected locker identification and an unlock code to the user via the customer service session of the computer system, where the selected locker includes equipment for the user to satisfy the user request.

A system and approach for remote reading, setting and control of devices such as thermostats. A phone, such as a smartphone, a gateway and a cloud may be incorporated relative to interaction with the device or devices. The gateway may have a hub that has bluetooth communication capabilities with the device. The hub may be connected to a router that in turn is connected to a cloud in a wireless or wired manner. The phone may communicate with the cloud to achieve interaction with the device. The hub may also handle WiFi communications. The gateway may instead be a phone that contains an app which lets operate as a gateway for communications with the cloud. There may be one or more devices that are a part of one or more home area networks that are connected to a gateway via bluetooth and WiFi, and in turn connected to the cloud.

The present invention is related with a modem device in conjunction with a Low Power Controller, which provides the capability of local control and remote management of electromechanical appliances in cases, where the locally available electric power is very low, and it is specially designed to be electrically powered and to communicate via a single PSTN telephone line The device has a wide application range to institutions, which own and use areas containing both passive and active equipment, and provides the capability of a single uniform solution for all such cases. It provides the ability to connect various digital and analog sensors, the transmission of various commands, the process automation, the data and information collection and the remote control (management).

A method is provided for controlling access to a target device. The method comprises receiving, by the target device, primary input from a user or user device, wherein the primary input matches a predetermined input stored by the target device and authorizes the user or user device to access the target device. The method further comprises storing, by the target device, one or more wireless secondary signals that are detected by the target device during a time period in which the primary input is received. Still further, the method comprises allowing access to the target device in response to receiving the primary input, and then allowing access to the target device in response to subsequently receiving at least one of the one or more wireless secondary signals matching one or more of the stored wireless secondary signals in the absence of receiving the primary input.